Scottish Executive

Adoption

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review adoption services in Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: As part of our commitment to improve the position of children and young people looked after by local authorities, I am concerned about the place of adoption services within the range of options that should be considered when their needs are being assessed. With my colleagues, I have concluded that there should be a review of adoption law and practice in Scotland focussing initially on children and young people in the care system.

  Changes in adoption law were last introduced in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. The key change was to place the lifelong interests of the child at the heart of the adoption process. The time is now right to review the operation of the relevant provisions in the 1995 Act, including their impact upon the lives and life chances of young people within the care of local authorities.

  We have already signalled our intention to close a number of loopholes within the legislation governing inter-country adoption. The review will concentrate therefore on domestic adoption arrangements.

  I propose to set up an Adoption Policy Review Advisory Group with former Sheriff Principal Graham Cox as Convenor. The group will comprise representatives of the local authorities, specialist voluntary sector agencies, children’s panels and legal interests. I will also ensure representation from adoptive parents and young people who have gone through the adoption process.

  The remit for the review will be discussed with the Education, Culture and Sport and with the Justice Committees of the Parliament. I am arranging for a copy of the memorandum to both committees to be placed today in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  I will finalise other appointments to the advisory group very shortly and, subject to consultations with the parliamentary committees, hope to see the advisory group start its deliberations in the course of April and submit a first report to me within six months. With colleagues I will consider the findings and recommendations together with any other points made to me by the group about possible further work that may be required.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any commitment from British Airways regarding the continued use of turboprop aircraft at airfields in the Highlands and Islands following any take-over by British Airways of the British Regional Air Lines Group plc.

Sarah Boyack: British Airways has confirmed that if the acquisition of the British Regional Air Lines Group plc is approved by the regulators, the long-term aircraft fleet requirements will be determined in line with the demands of the market and the operating environment.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many routes in the Highlands and Islands in which turboprop aircraft are used are currently operated by the British Regional Air Lines Group plc.

Sarah Boyack: The British Regional Air Lines Group plc currently operates the following Highlands and Islands’ routes with turboprop aircraft:

  Glasgow-Sumburgh

  Glasgow-Benbecula

  Glasgow-Stornoway

  Aberdeen-Kirkwall

  Aberdeen-Sumburgh

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the possible take-over of the British Regional Air Lines Group plc by British Airways will have on air services in the Highlands and Islands and what representations or action it plans to make or take on this matter.

Sarah Boyack: British Airways has confirmed that it has no plans to withdraw or reduce the Scottish services operated by the British Regional Air Lines Group plc as a result of the purchase of the full equity in the airline.

Central Heating

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13898 by Jackie Baillie on 19 March 2001, what studies it has undertaken, or proposes to undertake, to establish how many homes in the socially rented sector have outdated, inefficient or uneconomic central heating systems.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive wrote to local authorities on 26 February to seek a range of estimates for the Central Heating Programme, including information on the number of central heating systems which require to be upgraded or replaced.

Central Heating

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13899 by Jackie Baillie on 19 March 2001, what methodology was used to arrive at its estimate that 85,000 local authority tenants lack central heating.

Jackie Baillie: The information was taken from the Scottish House Condition Survey 1996 which showed that 100,000 local authority dwellings lacked any form of central heating. We estimated that installation rates since then will have taken the figure down to about 85,000.

Criminal Records

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects criminal record certificates under Part V of the Police Act 1997 to be available.

Mr Jim Wallace: We are aiming to align as closely as possible the start date in Scotland with that in England and Wales and we now expect the certificates to become available here from 1 January 2002 following full and proper testing of the systems being put in place to process applications.

Culture

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in examining the feasibility of a centre for the languages of Scotland, as outlined in Creating our Future, Minding our Past .

Allan Wilson: A group chaired by Professor Ron Asher of the Royal Society of Edinburgh has put forward a proposal for a centre for the languages of Scotland. The Executive does not in general provide direct support for cultural projects and has no funding available to support such a centre.

Cycletracks

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was, including installation, of the cycleway signs on the cycletrack adjacent to the B7076 between Gretna and Beattock Summit.

Sarah Boyack: The cycletrack between Kirkpatrick Fleming and Beattock was constructed as part of a number of individual contracts during the upgrading of the A74 between Gretna and Millbank. Several of these contracts were in the form of lump sum design and build and the section between Johnstonebridge and Beattock was constructed as part of the M6 DBFO project. Consequently it is not possible to identify the contractor’s costs for individual elements of the various works such as cycleway signs.

Cycletracks

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has made available to Dumfries and Galloway Council for the maintenance of cycletrack and bridges within Dumfries and Galloway.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not allocate funds to councils for the maintenance of individual road elements such as cycletracks and bridges. Any increase in the length of road to be maintained by a local authority is taken into consideration by the method by which the annual grant allocation for local roads is calculated by the Scottish Executive.

Cycletracks

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues on the maintenance of cycletracks, particularly in relation to sweeping and the removal of debris.

Sarah Boyack: In December 1999 the Scottish Executive published the consultation paper Cycling by Design providing design guidance for all aspects of cycling infrastructure. Sections 12.40-12.71 inclusive of that document provides general guidance on the maintenance of cycle facilities and section 12.46 in particular offers guidance in relation to sweeping of cycle paths.

Farmers’ Markets

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13805 by Ross Finnie on 14 March 2001, why it decided to support the formation of the Scottish Association of Farmers’ Markets.

Ross Finnie: With the growing interest in farmers’ markets in Scotland, the industry was keen to establish a body which would allow markets to share information, co-ordinate activity, promote best practice, etc. As part of its grant-funded activities, the Executive encouraged SAOS to investigate the potential for an association. That work showed there would be benefits in forming such a body which could be used to encourage professionalism, high standards and training, all matters which are better handled jointly. Accordingly, SAOS assisted in the formation process which led to the Scottish Association of Farmers’ Markets being legally established at the end of 2000.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance will be offered to operators in the tourist sector on Arran to ensure that businesses and the economy of the island survive the loss of revenue incurred as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Tourism businesses on the Island of Arran will benefit from the emergency package of measures that we announced on 28 March.

Football

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to encourage the Scottish Football Association to progress a joint bid to host the 2008 European football championships in the light of the supportive comments made by Harry Been, Secretary of the Dutch Football Association.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive, together with its agencies, is assisting the Scottish Football Association (SFA) with the carrying out of a feasibility study into the possible staging of the 2008 European Nations Championships in Scotland. We will also wish to consider an informed and objective assessment of the prospects of a successful SFA bid before considering any financial or other banking for a bid. The decision on whether or not to bid is a matter for the SFA.

Freedom of Information Bill

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it foresees any difficulties arising in relation to proposed freedom of information legislation as it would apply to cross-border public authorities.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. The proposed Scottish freedom of information legislation will not apply to cross-border public authorities. These bodies will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many "one-stop" services are available for stroke patients.

Susan Deacon: In the context of stroke services the one-stop approach is applicable to patients who have had a transient ischaemic attack, also known as a "minor stroke".

  For these patients, there are four "one-stop" services in Scotland: at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Gartnavel Hospital, Falkirk Royal Infirmary and the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. In addition, there are two neurovascular clinics, one at Borders General Hospital, the other at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, which can also assess patients who have had a minor stroke. A further clinic is operated by Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for stroke prevention.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stroke patients are cared for in dedicated stroke units, staffed by multi-disciplinary teams.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how any shortages of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists are affecting the care and treatment of people affected by a stroke.

Susan Deacon: The overall recruitment and retention of Professions Allied to Medicine (PAMs) which includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, remains satisfactory, although there are some recognised difficulties in particular geographic areas and with some specialist posts.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to issue any guidelines on the management of medical equipment in NHS Trusts.

Susan Deacon: The majority of NHS Trusts have good procedures in place to deal with the management of medical equipment.

  In April 2000 the Medical Devices Agency issued guidance entitled Equipped to Care – The safe use of medical devices in the 21st century. This was distributed in Scotland by Scottish Healthcare Supplies.

  The aim of the guidance is to:

  Help nurses, midwives, health visitors, other health professionals and support workers understand their role in the safe use, purchase and management of medical devices.

  Provide managers with pointers to the best practices for training, purchase and maintenance of medical devices.

  Ensure that arrangements for purchase, use and maintenance of medical devices are firmly embedded within the local framework for clinical governance.

  Raise awareness about the role of MDA and how it can provide advice, guidance to support the safe use of medical devices.

  However, in the light of the recent baseline report by the Auditor General, Equipped to Care: Managing Medical Equipment in the NHS in Scotland, it is my intention that the Health Department issues further guidance to NHS Trusts in order further to improve the situation across Scotland.

Health

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is issued to local authorities in respect of tracing the source of head lice infestation in schools.

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is issued to local authorities in respect of dealing with an outbreak of head lice in schools.

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities should inform in writing the parents of children in schools where an outbreak of head lice has occurred.

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice local authorites should offer to the parents of children continually re-infected with head lice due to other parents not dealing with the problem once identified.

Susan Deacon: The management of head lice infection is a local issue and each NHS board is responsible for putting in place a policy for its management which will be agreed with local authorities.

  I have asked Scottish Executive officials to set up a working group to review head lice policies and guidance currently in place across Scotland with a view to developing a uniform national policy and national guidance.

Higher Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has in place, or intends to implement, to increase the numbers of women studying computing and engineering at university.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Through the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department’s Public Understanding of Science grant scheme, a contribution of £9,500 to the Women into Science and Engineering (WISE) initiative has been made during the financial year 2000-01, which promotes science, engineering and technology to women.

  The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) has provided support, since 1995, for initiatives to increase the number of women studying computing and engineering at university. In 2001-02, £100,000 will be provided for the Women into Science, Engineering and Technology (WISET) initiative, which supports work to improve access to, participation in and progression to careers in science, engineering and technology for women in Scottish higher education institutions. SHEFC is also providing £50,000 per annum to support a collaborative project in Edinburgh to raise awareness and aspirations of female school pupils towards science, engineering and technology-related courses.

Historic Sites

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in setting up a register of battlefield sites.

Allan Wilson: A contract was awarded in August 2000 to the Department of History at the University of Aberdeen to carry out a pilot study of four battlefield sites in Scotland. These sample entries will be the subject of a consultation exercise (to be carried out this year) which will enable Historic Scotland to determine whether the register approach is appropriate for Scotland’s battlefield sites. As stated in my predecessor’s answer on 8 September 2000 to question S1W-9261 by Mr Michael McMahon, there is a lack of evidence to identify the precise location of many battlefields and few physical remains survive.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities exercised their discretionary powers to establish a cash incentive scheme funded through their own resources to enable tenants to purchase a home on the open market in each of the last four financial years and in the current financial year to date.

Jackie Baillie: Over the last five financial years, the following local authorities notified the Scottish Executive, or previously the Scottish Office, that they were operating cash incentive schemes.

  

 

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Learning Disabilities

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for the distribution to local authorities of change funding for the care of people with learning disabilities in each of the next three years.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to local authorities with regard to the utilisation and distribution of change funding for the care of people with learning disabilities and when any such guidance was issued.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the resources distributed to date to each local authority from the change fund for the care of people with learning disabilities and when these funds were released.

Malcolm Chisholm: In response to the recommendations of the review of services for people with learning disabilities, local authorities were notified in December 2000 that additional funds of £36 million over three years would be awarded as part of the Grant Aided Expenditure allocation from April 2001.

  The resources for 2001-02 were distributed through the Grant Aided Expenditure for services for people with disabilities. The GAE "Green Book", setting out the elements for each authority, is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 12261).

  The distribution formula for 2002-03 and 2003-04 is based on projections of population changes in key client groups.

  Guidance on the change funds issued on 26 March advising local authorities that the additional resources have been included as part of the Revenue Support Grant along with the existing provision for services for people with learning disabilities. It stated that local authorities, with their partners, should use new and existing resources to achieve both short-term and longer-term improvements in services; that making better use of existing resources is a key part of delivering the review’s objectives, and that authorities are expected to apply Best Value principles to ensure maximum benefits for agencies and the best outcomes for all those who require services.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of a mental health hearing in a sheriff court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the typical cost of a sheriff court hearing based on judicial and staff costs, but excluding accommodation and other overheads is approximately £50 per 30 minutes. This also excludes any costs to the parties, their agents or expert witnesses.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost will be of a mental health tribunal hearing as proposed by the Millan Report.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to provide an estimate at this stage of the average cost of a mental health tribunal hearing, as proposed by the Millan Report. The Scottish Executive is currently considering the recommendations of the Millan Committee, including those which focus on the establishment of a new mental health tribunal system. We intend to publish our policy proposals, as informed by the committee and after consultation with relevant interests, in summer 2001.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures and policies are in place in the criminal justice system in relation to dealing with offenders with mental disorders.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive’s general policy on care, support services and accommodation for mentally disordered offenders remains as set out in NHS Management Executive Letter (1999) 5, published by the Scottish Office in January 1999. Since then, we have provided complementary guidance for service providers, including the criminal justice agencies. A Care Pathway Document , NHS Health Department Letter (2001) 9, was produced on 12 February this year, together with progress reports on the implementation of the general policy. These two NHS letters are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no.’s 12317 and 12345 respectively).

  We are also currently considering the recommendations for the treatment and management of mentally disordered offenders made in the reports of the Millan and MacLean Committees.

NHS Trusts

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is available, or will be made available, to NHS Trust staff to assist them in making procurement decisions.

Susan Deacon: NHS Trusts are responsible for planning and organising their own training activities according to the individual needs of the staff involved.

  In order to support and promote action at local level, Scottish Healthcare Supplies are raising the profile of procurement throughout the NHSScotland as an activity that contributes to patient care. The activities of the Strategic Alliance Partnership include the establishment of a Training and Development Group which will assist in the continuing development of staff.

NHS Trusts

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a mandatory training policy for NHS Trust staff on the use of medical equipment.

Susan Deacon: There is no mandatory training policy for NHS Trust staff on the use of medical equipment. NHS Trusts are responsible for ensuring that their employees are competent to use the equipment they need to use. Equally all health care professionals have a personal responsibility to ensure that they are properly trained in the safe use of medical equipment that they use.

National Lottery Funding

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the National Lottery distributing bodies regarding the support of visitor attractions which have been closed by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and what the outcome of any such discussions has been.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Together with the UK Government, we are looking at every possible way in which affected businesses might be assisted. I am confident, however, that the emergency package of measures that we have announced on 28 March will tackle the immediate difficulties facing tourism and other businesses.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took to establish the accuracy of comments relating to the position of staff, and the terms and conditions of such staff, currently employed by local authorities in connection with trunk roads maintenance attributed to staff of one of the private sector bidders for the trunk road unit contracts in Construction News on 9 November and, if these comments were correctly attributed, whether they would be contrary to any conditions to be included in the trunk road unit contracts and, if so, what action was taken in relation to these comments.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recognised at the outset that the comments made in Construction News on 9 November were inaccurate. The Executive issued letters to concerned councils to advise them that the articles were without foundation as no decision had at that time been taken.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to prevent local authority workers employed in connection with trunk road maintenance being made redundant in the event that private sector bids for the trunk road unit contracts are successful and whether the tender documents specified that all existing staff be retained.

Sarah Boyack: It will be for the existing and incoming operators to decide whether there is a need for workers to be made redundant. The tender documents do not require that all existing staff be retained. Our current expectation is that the TUPE Regulations will apply.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered all of the points raised by trade unions about the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (as amended) in connection with the awarding of the trunk road unit contracts, in particular those points relating to those workers who spend most but not all of their time on trunk road work; whether private sector bidders were given information about the number of employees in respect of whom the regulations would apply in this instance and whether employees were given an opportunity to check that any such information is correct.

Sarah Boyack: Employment of existing staff and workers is a matter to be resolved between the existing and new operators and staff and their unions. During the tender period, existing employers circulated lists of staff involved. The Scottish Executive is not aware of what notice and information has been given to employees by the several operators.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the continuity of winter roads maintenance will be affected in any way by the award of any trunk road unit contracts to private sector bidders.

Sarah Boyack: The award of contracts will secure the continuity of the levels of service of winter maintenance required by the Scottish Executive.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to tender the contracts for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network was required by either European or British law; whether it is legally necessary to award the contracts as tendered or whether it is possible to review and re-tender them, and whether it would be legally competent to continue with the existing contracts or to replace them with a temporary negotiated arrangement with the existing providers, to allow for any new contracts to be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Sarah Boyack: The tendering of the contracts was required by the relevant EC Directive implemented in domestic law by the 1991 regulations. Failure to award the contracts as tendered could expose the Scottish Executive to damages claims. Only the five existing Managing Agent contracts under which two private sector and three local authority consortia provide management services for the rural networks outwith the central belt, can clearly be extended. Such an extension would not deliver maintenance services of itself.

Roads

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Halcrow or PricewaterhouseCoopers had any involvement in the tendering exercise for the maintenance of trunk roads prior to 23 January 2001 and, if so, what the nature was of any such involvement.

Sarah Boyack: Halcrow in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers have a standing commission with the Scottish Executive to provide management and audit services in relation to the existing trunk road maintenance contracts and to assist with arrangements for replacement contracts.

  In relation to the new contracts, they have provided staff on secondment to assist the Scottish Executive team with preparation of tender documents and the tender process. These staff have been working under the direct instructions of civil servants at the Scottish Executive’s offices.

  Separately from this, the consultants have undertaken a role of review and audit of the process. To protect the independence of this role, the consultants have created a Chinese wall using staff not involved in the development of the contracts or the tender process and located outwith the Scottish Executive’s offices.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pension rights of public sector workers transferred into the private sector under the trunk roads maintenance contracts will be affected and, if so, what any effects on pensions might be.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3171.

Rural Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that any additional rural transport services paid for by the £1.2 million grant from the Rural Transport Fund to Dumfries and Galloway will continue after the end of the three-year funding period.

Sarah Boyack: For the first time we have awarded three-year allocations to local authorities from the Rural Transport Fund, which is a significant step forward. At present it is the intention to continue the fund beyond 2003-04 but this will be reviewed at the next spending review in the light of ministerial commitments known at the time.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what stage documents are at when they are handed over by it to Tactica Solutions for design and production and whether it would be possible to publish the documents at this stage.

Angus MacKay: Documents are handed over to Tactica Solutions in a number of formats including electronic text, hand written notes, charts, maps, pictures and printed material. It is not possible to publish such material without it passing through a number of processes. Even documents that are entirely available in electronic format require further processing. Professional publications advice is provided to all departments by the Executive’s Media and Communications Group who are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that Executive publications are fit for purpose and provide value for money. The services provided via Tactica Solutions to deliver finished publications include:

  typesetting

  insertion of Scottish Executive logo and branding

  allocation of ISBN numbers

  ensuring documents comply with office rules on accessibility by disabled and ethnic audiences

  translation where (necessary)

  conversion for the internet

  bar coding for sale and library purposes

  chart and graph production

  illustration

  design

  photography

  proof-reading

  cartography.

Sport

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the visions for sport in Scotland set out in Sport 21: Nothing Left to Chance are achievable within current funding levels for sport.

Allan Wilson: The first review of Sport 21 was published in October 2000 and copies were distributed to all members of this Parliament. That review highlighted the way in which investment in Scottish sport is helping to achieve the aims of the strategy. The additional resources announced to the Parliament in November last year, and being made available through  sportscotland over the next three years and the New Opportunities Fund over the next four years will help to deliver the visions of Sport 21 in partnership with other interested organisations.

Student Finance

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what key targets it has set for the Student Awards Agency for Scotland for the financial year 2001-02.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I have set the Student Awards Agency for Scotland the following key performance targets for the financial year 2001-2002:

  Service

  To acknowledge 85% of applications within seven calendar days of receipt and the remainder within 12 calendar days of receipt.

  To process 85% of applications within 21 days of receipt and the remaining 15% within 28 days.

  To raise the customer satisfaction rating for processing times from 89% to 95% or higher within two years.

  To issue replies to 85% of written correspondence queries within 14 days of receipt and the remaining 15% within 21 days of receipt.

  To respond to queries sent by e-mail within five days of receipt.

  To conduct annually a survey of customers’ opinions on the levels of service provided by SAAS and to publish the results in the agency’s Annual Report.

  Answer 85% of calls to the agency’s Enquiry Unit within 40 seconds and the remaining 15% within three minutes.

  Ensure that the average time delay for incoming calls to teams is no longer than 20 seconds.

  Agency Management

  To reach an average unit cost of £32 to process each application (based on full relevant costs).

  The Chief Executive will be directly responsible to me for ensuring that these targets are achieved and full details of the actual results will be published in the agency’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Substance Abuse

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to prevent volatile substance abuse.

Iain Gray: Volatile substance abuse is addressed within Scotland’s drugs strategy as a whole. Drug Action Teams are asked to include it in their action plans. Efforts are focused on preventing volatile substance abuse through the education of young people, professionals and retailers, and, where practicable, restricting the sale of solvent-based products.

  The Scottish Executive provides core funding for the Scottish Drugs Forum, which considers and provides information on volatile substance abuse, through its Volatile Substance Use Working Group. Guidance on volatile substance abuse for professionals working with children and young people was recently published by the Health Education Board for Scotland, in conjunction with the Scottish Drugs Forum and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. The Executive also contributes towards the funding of the National Drugs Helpline which responds to calls about volatile substance abuse, as well as about the misuse of drugs in general.

Substance Abuse

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to improve the treatment and care of volatile substance abusers.

Iain Gray: The treatment of drug misusers is one of the key objectives within the Executive’s drugs strategy. As part of the new three-year £100 million drugs expenditure package, we have committed an additional £10 million to provide treatment services in the community for more drug users and £21 million for rehabilitation services to equip former drug users for opportunities such as employment and education. These resources are available also for the treatment and rehabilitation of those who abuse volatile substances. Assessment of need and the targeting of resources will be determined at local level by Drug Action Teams (DATs) and constituent agencies.

  According to the Scottish Drugs Forum’s Directory of Specialist Helping Agencies, there are over 80 treatment services in Scotland, providing a service to people who use volatile substances. The Executive has recently set a national standard to ensure that drug misusers under 16 have access to appropriate drug treatment and care services. This will include the provision of facilities for those who misuse volatile substances. For the first time this year DAT corporate action plans will contain information on the availability of services which treat volatile substance abuse clients. The plans will be analysed by the Executive, to determine whether any further action is required.

Traffic

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13071 by Sarah Boyack on 9 March 2000, whether the volume of traffic passing through Dalry, Ayrshire at peak times represents a hazard to pedestrians or the environment.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not consider that peak traffic volumes represent an unreasonable hazard to pedestrians within Dalry.

  The conditions for pedestrians within Dalry are similar to those in many other communities in Scotland through which strategic trunk roads pass.

Traffic

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13071 by Sarah Boyack on 9 March 2001, why peak time in the evening is considered to be between 4pm and 5pm.

Sarah Boyack: The evening peak period of 4pm to 5pm through Dalry was determined by the highest traffic flow figure within a 24-hour period.

Traffic

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13071 by Sarah Boyack on 9 March 2001, what volume of traffic passes through Dalry, Ayrshire on the A737 between 7am and 9am, and between 4pm and 7pm, and how this compares with other towns of a similar size and population.

Sarah Boyack: The average traffic volume recorded through Dalry, Ayrshire between 7am and 9am is 1,310 and between 4pm and 7pm the average is 2,346. The average daily traffic volume recorded through Dalry is 9,982. These figures were derived from the seven-day hourly flow profile for 260 days between 10 February 2000 and 26 October 2000.

  Comparative hourly flows for all other towns of a similar size and population are not available.

Voluntary Organisations

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which voluntary organisations receive European funding, listed by constituency.

Peter Peacock: A list of voluntary organisations in Scotland which are designated as lead sponsors for live ERDF and ESF projects is being placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. This information is not available broken down at constituency level.

Water Authorities

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the application by West of Scotland Water to discharge effluent into the River Clyde at Biggar, (a) which bodies or individuals were consulted by the Environment Protection Unit Water Team, (b) what information was given during the consultation process and (c) on what basis it was decided not to call in the application.

Ross Finnie: Information was sought from the Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory, Pitlochry and, within the Scottish Executive, from the Veterinary Advisers and from Public Health Policy Unit. Clarification of various points was also sought from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The advice from these bodies did not contradict the agency’s decision to approve the applications in question.

  The policy of the Scottish ministers has been to exercise our power to call in applications to discharge for our own determination, under section 36 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, where the issues raised are novel or unusual, or of more than local significance, or where the agency does not appear to be sufficiently informed to allow it to make a decision on the application. Careful consideration was given to the application to discharge at Biggar, but as the case did not appear to meet these criteria, the Scottish ministers declined to exercise the power to call it in.

Water Charges

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance could be made available to voluntary sports clubs to help them meet the cost of water and waste-water charges.

Ross Finnie: Phasing in of water charges to all organisations affected by the decision to withdraw reliefs is being made over a period of five years. This should allow such organisations time to prepare for the changes and ease the immediate impact of increased charges.

  Additionally, the water authorities have offered to install water meters free where this will reduce costs. This should have the effect of reducing further any additional liability that these organisations have to face.

Water Fluoridation

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive,  with reference to the forthcoming public consultation on fluoridation of the drinking water supply, how it intends to ensure that the public is as well informed about alternative methods of reducing dental caries as it is about fluoridation of the water supply.

Malcolm Chisholm: As described in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , the consultation will be wide-ranging and seek views on a range of measures to improve children’s oral health, not only fluoridation of the public water supply.